Adjectives & adverbs

Replace weak modifiers with strong nouns and verbs

The ‘great deceivers’ Modifiers give “the illusion of meaning without its substance,” according to The Associated Press Guide to Good News Writing. Image by Verena Yunita Yapi

Modifiers are “the great deceivers,” according to the editors of The Associated Press Guide to Good News Writing. “They give the illusion of specific meaning without its substance.” Here’s how to handle adjectives and adverbs: